July 12,

Things are slowly going... sometimes Ghana is a busy place and other times I would be more entertained running through molasses. :) We didn't do anything touristy which I think drew the week out really long! A few nights this week volunteers went out to bars, so I stayed in and went to bed around 7:30! (That also makes for an early awakening in the morning!) I went to school all week except Wednesday...Now this is a weird story and difficult to tell, but the volunteers decided (unannounced to me) to go on strike Wednesday. I had no idea and walked out of my room and all the volunteers were just sitting around the table in their Pj's talking. Long story short they were sick of all the beatings in the school. If you look at the pictures I've downloaded a few posts back there is a picture of a long stick. The stick is used by teachers to discipline the kids. You have to remember that it is a cultural thing and not really an abuse. Obviously if any school in the US hit a child with a stick the teacher would be fired, the school would be fined and penalized, all kinds of things. Here in Ghana every school, government or private, beat or hit their kids. I personally believe it's something that can't be changed because it is so deeply woven into the Ghanaian culture. Children don't understand other forms of discipline, but the volunteers disagreed and thought they could change the school. Thus, because it was a unionized effort, I couldn't go to school Wednesday. I personally think it is better to teach the kids than not to teach at all, but whatever I guess... Luckily, the volunteers came back to their senses Thursday and taught. They told the principle they would only teach if the kids were not beat. He agreed, but I teach the shift no one else works and...they still beat the kids. So really they made no difference. Not to be a debbie-downer, but one day strikes aren't really beneficial when trying to change an entire country's culture haha. This week I taught mathematics to the kids, we count and we count and we count. On Friday I felt they were ready for simple addition, (1+1), I was severely incorrect. The children could not grasp the impossible concept that one finger plus another finger equals two fingers. (Or equaled anything for that matter!). Next week the kids have exams all week and then a one month break so I get to correct and mark their tests and see how well I did as a teacher and how well they did as students in understanding and comprehending the material! I am a tad bit nervous!!! I went to the orphanage twice this week in the evenings, we have many volunteers here and they usually want to be with the babies to I've taken to hanging out with the older kids. I taught three ten year old the difference between big and small through a very thin Dagbani-English barrier. I was extremely proud!! I've taught them body parts, colors, clothing, and food terms in English! It is really great because when I first started going to the large orphanage all the older kids were very shy and ill-tempered because they are usually ignored by the volunteers. I'm glad I've been able to help them, now we are all besties! :) Haha, later today I go proselyting with the missionaries, have a district activity and after dinner get to watch the consolation/third place world cup game! It'll be a pretty productive day and so I must say goodbye :) Love you all!

Love Emily